A south Indian meal is incomplete without rasam. Considered an Indian soup, it is packed with ingredients that improve digestion. It is generally watery in consistency, and it should not be over-boiled as it may lose the rich aroma and flavour of the herbs and spices. It is served as both as a soup or main dish along with rice.
The ultimate comfort food, rasam has varied benefits because of the rich blend of spices, that is helpful in keeping coughs and colds at bay.
Rasam is made with sour ingredients like tamarind pulp or tomato puree. You can also give a healthy twist to the humble rasam by adding pineapple, lemon, amla or lentils.
Try These Rasam Recipes
1. Mysore Rasam
As the name suggests Mysore Rasam is a must have dish in Karnataka meals. It goes very well with hot steamed rice. Made with lentils, blended with fresh coconut paste and spices it adds up to the richness of the dish.
Ingredients
For Mysore Rasam Powder:
2 tsp coriander seeds
½ tsp cumin seeds
2 tsp bengal gram
½ tsp black pepper
2 dried Kashmiri red chillis
¼ cup coconut fresh
Other Ingredients:
2 tomatoes finely chopped
1 cup tamarind juice
few curry leaves
¼ tsp turmeric powder
salt to taste
½ tsp jaggery optional
1 cup cooked toor dal
2 cups water add as required
For Seasoning
2 tsp oil
¾ tsp mustard seeds
¼ tsp hing
2 dried red chillis
2 tbsp coriander leaves
Few curry leaves
Method
Mysore Rasam Powder
Dry roast all the ingredients required to make the Mysore rasam powder on a slow flame, except coconut.
Once done add coconut and fry, allow it to cool and blend to a fine powder in a mixer.
Mysore Rasam
In a pan add chopped tomatoes, tamarind juice, turmeric powder, salt, and jaggery. Boil this water for 15 minutes.
Now add the cooked dal and mix it thoroughly, boil for few more minutes.
Add about 3 tsp of Mysore rasam powder and boil for 2 minutes.
Season it with mustard seeds, dry chillis, curry leaves and hing powder and garnish with chopped coriander leaves.
Serve it with hot steamed rice.
Nutritional Values:
Coconut is a source of monounsaturated fatty acids which keeps cholesterol under control. It is a great source of potassium and known for keeping blood pressure under control. Lentils are a natural source of protein, a good source of dietary fibre, copper and iron.
Pineapple Rasam
Pineapple rasam is a simple but a delightful appetizer that blends the sweetness of pineapple and tanginess of tomato with freshly ground spices that take your taste bud to a next level.
Ingredients
1 tomato
¼ cup toor dal
1 green chilli
1 tsp rasam powder
A pinch turmeric powder
A pinch hing
1/3 cup chopped pineapple
¼ cup pineapple juice
For The Seasoning
1 tsp ghee
½ tsp mustard seeds
½ tsp Jeera seeds
Few curry leaves
Method
Cook toor dal with a pinch of turmeric powder until soft, mash it and keep it aside.
In a pan pour ¾ cup of water, add chopped tomatoes, turmeric powder, rasam powder, salt as needed, green chillis, pineapple pieces, curry leaves and hing.
Boil well for 5-10 minutes on low flame, then add mashed dal and pineapple juice and little water mix it thoroughly.
When it is about to boil switch off the stove. Season it with ghee add mustard seeds, jeera seeds and curry leaves when it sizzles pour it over the rasam.
Garnish with coriander leaves, serve it with hot steaming rice and potato curry, it is simply delicious.
Nutritional Values:
Apart from the taste, it is healthy too. The aroma of freshly ground pepper and jeera soothes your tummy and provides relief from common cold and fever.
Further to warm your body this monsoon, pineapple rasam is indeed a delight to have as it is loaded with vitamin C, B6, B1 and excellent source of copper.
